Can the Warriors duplicate their Game 2 success on Damian Lillard, CJ McCollum?

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Portland Trail Blazers’ Damian Lillard (0) is pressured by Golden State Warriors’ Klay Thompson (11) and Zaza Pachulia (27) in the first quarter of Game 2 of their NBA first round playoff series at Oracle Arena in Oakland, Calif., on Wednesday, April 19, 2017. (Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group)

OAKLAND — Inbounding on the sideline, the Blazers had 8.5 seconds to turn a terrible first quarter into a slightly less terrible first quarter. The Warriors, even without Kevin Durant in Game 2, already had 33 points. The Blazers, meanwhile, had puttered out to 17, having missed 15 of their first 21 shots, while fumbling away eight turnovers in 12 minutes.

They designed the sideline play for CJ McCollum, but the active, bouncy Warriors didn’t allow it. Andre Iguodala and Ian Clark, helping off the inbounder, double-teamed and draped McCollum, forcing Allen Crabbe to reluctantly toss it upcourt to Damian Lillard before a 5-second violation.

Lillard turned and found 7.5 seconds to operate, in isolation, against Klay Thompson. When he reached the wing, Lillard tried to freeze Thompson with three quick crossovers before darting into a left-handed drive — a move that has victimized so many defenders this season.

But it didn’t shake Thompson, who ignored the dancing, timed his defensive slide well and muscled Lillard into help. Thompson, Clark and James Michael McAdoo were all able to contest and affect the shot, as Lillard flung up a brick and barreled out of bounds, closing out a first quarter of stone-wall Warriors defense that they carried over to the next few quarters and are hoping to duplicate in Game 3.

“They played a more aggressive game at that end of the floor,” Lillard said. “So they got away with a lot. They were able to play really physical and it went into their favor.”

It was the second straight postgame a frustrated Lillard alluded to the Warriors getting away with extra contact. In Game 1, Lillard and McCollum roasted Golden State’s defense for three quarters, combining for 62 of their 75 points in the first 36 minutes.

At that point, Lillard was 7-of-7 from the free throw line, getting there slightly above his typical rate. Lillard averaged 7.3 free throw attempts per game this season, the 10th most in the NBA. But in the fourth quarter of Game 1, the Blazers were outscored 33-21 as Lillard took seven shots, missed four and didn’t get to the line once.

“They’re going to get the benefit of the doubt on the whistle,” Lillard said. “There were some plays where they did one thing on defense and got away with it and we did the same thing and didn’t get away with it. I think that was because we weren’t as aggressive as they were.”

The Blazers had Game 1 tied at 88 entering the fourth quarter. In the five quarters since, the Warriors have outscored them by 41 points. That turn from competitive to massively lopsided is primarily because of the improved defensive job on Lillard and McCollum.

After slowing their momentum late in Game 1, the Warriors shut off the dam almost entirely in Game 2. Portland’s explosive duo only put up 23 combined points on 9-of-34 shooting. McCollum finished with 11 points on 4-of-17 shooting. Lillard finished with 12 on 5-of-17.

“We were more aware of our coverages, did a better job with our bigs helping,” Kerr said. “Did a better job in the paint, tightening up our shell behind the play. Our guards did a good job trying to crowd them.”

Draymond Green is the versatile nerve-center of the Warriors defense, connected to everyone and everything. But Thompson’s role in this matchup is nearly as vital. Kerr calls him “one of the best on-ball perimeter defenders” in the NBA. Against Portland, Kerr flips him back and forth between two of the league’s best perimeter scorers.

He primarily guarded Lillard in Game 2 and regularly handled him similarly to that late first quarter possession: Don’t bite on the fancy dribble moves, use the size advantage to slide and slightly bump him to a preferred spot, trust the awaiting help and challenge the shot without fouling. Lillard only took two free throws in Game 2.

“He’s really gotten better since our first year coaching him,” Kerr said of Thompson. “He reached a lot more then. He’s been really diligent about using his body and his positioning and not reaching and not fouling.”

Thompson had only one foul in Game 2 — a block call when he slid over to take a charge — two total in 66 minutes during this series and only 1.8 per game this season. He’s not a hyper-athletic, handsy defensive stat machine. He only averages 0.8 steals and 0.5 blocks. But he knows his limitations and doesn’t chase big plays, which often lead to fouls.

“Doesn’t take unnecessary gambles,” Kerr said. “And that’s what we need from him. Pressure on the ball, use his size and length, don’t do anything crazy, force the offensive player to make a tough shot.”

But Thompson still needs plenty of help. When this series turned — at the start of the fourth quarter of Game 1 — it did so because of the sudden jolt of defensive pressure delivered by David West and Green on the perimeter. The Warriors’ two most reliable bigs began jumping out on the pick-and-roll more vigorously and suddenly McCollum and Lillard couldn’t get down-hill as easily.

The rest of Golden State’s bigs, even JaVale McGee, followed suit. McGee’s had trouble in his career sticking to team defensive schemes, instead opting to fly around for out-of-position, over aggressive block attempts. But in this series, he’s stayed within the scheme, while still using his length to disrupt. He has six blocks and only two fouls in 23 high-energy minutes.

“He’s better than where he was earlier in the year for sure,” Kerr said. “He’s been locked in this series, up on the screens, which is important to help for the guards. He’s made improvements.”

The Warriors’ five quarters of success against Lillard and McCollum have delivered them two wins. They have pressured them on the perimeter and disrupted them at the rim (21 blocks in two games, 11 on Lillard/McCollum). They want to recreate Game 2. But they know the duo is always capable of recreating the first three quarters of Game 1.

“We know we could play the exact same defense and they could still make a bunch of tough shots,” Kerr said. “That’s who they are.”